ARRL Letter

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The ARRL Letter
Vol. 24, No. 24
June 17, 2005
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IN THIS EDITION:
* +Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection bill now in US Senate
* +"Get involved in the good things" in ham radio, Dayton forum urged
* +ISS crew could be on for Field Day again this year
* +The FCC proposes $21,000 in fines for K1MAN
* +Hams activate in advance of first named Atlantic storm
* +"SuitSat" moves closer to launch
* Solar Update
* IN BRIEF:
This weekend on the radio: ARRL Kid's Day is June 18!
ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course registration
Field Day 2005 gear still available
+President names Scott Redd, K0DQ, to head counter-terrorism center
+K6KPH to transmit W1AW FD bulletin for West Coast
ARRL warns against spurious, virus-infected e-mails
+Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>
===========================================================
==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):
letter-dlvy@arrl.org
==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl@arrl.org
===========================================================
==>US SENATE VERSION OF AMATEUR RADIO SPECTRUM PROTECTION ACT OF 2005
INTRODUCED
A US Senate version of the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2005 has
been introduced in the 109th Congress with bipartisan support. Sen Michael
Crapo of Idaho sponsored the measure, S 1236, on June 14. The wording of the
bill is identical to the House version, HR 691, introduced earlier this year
by Rep Michael Bilirakis of Florida. Joining Crapo as cosponsors of the
Senate bill were Senators Christopher Bond of Missouri, Max Baucus and
Conrad Burns of Montana, and Daniel Akaka of Hawaii. The bill has been
referred to the US Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee of
which Burns is a member. ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, said the League is
pleased that Crapo has agreed to once again sponsor this legislation at
ARRL's urging.
"We are grateful for Sen Crapo's demonstration of support by introducing the
Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2005," Sumner said. "His
sponsorship of this bill shows his appreciation for the value and utility of
Amateur Radio to the US public, especially in times of emergency."
Like previous versions of the proposal, the House and Senate measures would
require the FCC to provide "equivalent replacement spectrum" to the Amateur
Radio and Amateur-Satellite services in the event of reallocation to other
services of primary amateur spectrum or the diminution of secondary amateur
spectrum. The bill also would cover additional allocations within Amateur
Radio bands that "would substantially reduce" their utility to Amateur
Service licensees.
In a letter this week, ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, also thanked Crapo
for his continued support of the Spectrum Protection Act. "As you know, this
legislation is vital for ensuring that the Amateur Radio Service, the only
100 percent fail-safe emergency communication capability, remains a viable
public safety option," Haynie said, adding that the League also appreciates
the work of Crapo's staff in getting the bill into play in the new Congress.
"The ARRL looks forward to working with you on successfully passing this
legislation during the 109th Congress," he said.
The legislation references Amateur Radio's role in providing "voluntary,
noncommercial radio service, particularly emergency communications," and it
points out that hams have "consistently and reliably" provided communication
support in the event of emergencies and disasters including tornadoes and
hurricanes, chemical spills, forest fires and rail accidents. As the measure
notes, FCC actions already have led to the loss of at least 107 MHz of
spectrum to radio amateurs.
Efforts will continue--now in both chambers of Congress--to attract
additional cosponsors for S 1236 and HR 691. The League encourages its
members to urge their congressional representatives and senators to sign
aboard. A sample letter for HR 691
<http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/hr-691-sample-letter.html> and a sample
letter for S 1236 <http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/s-1236/>--are
available on the ARRL Web site for members to use as guides in writing their
members of Congress to seek their support.
To expedite delivery, send all correspondence bound for Members of
Congress--preferably as an attachment--to research.assistant@chwatco.com or
fax it to 703-684-7594. The ARRL will bundle correspondence addressed to
each Member of Congress for hand delivery.
==>RILEY HOLLINGSWORTH: "GET INVOLVED IN THE GOOD THINGS IN AMATEUR RADIO!"
FCC Special Counsel for Enforcement Riley Hollingsworth told the Dayton
Hamvention FCC Forum May 21 "all you need to know to enhance your radio
service--in one simple lesson." Drawing upon his nearly seven years
experience as the FCC's Amateur Radio enforcement point man, Hollingsworth
told his audience "what I personally think you need to do to make the
Amateur Radio Service thrive and to enjoy the incredible opportunity" to
have fun and engage in public service activities.
"Overall, amateur compliance, I think, is very, very good--I'm really happy
with it," although, he said, "we still have a good distance to go" in
certain areas. Complaints also have continued to decline steadily over the
past year. "I think that's a good sign," he said, predicting the trend would
continue. He advised hams to avoid ugly on-the-air situations and
confrontations. "Just use the VFO and go somewhere else," he said.
On the other hand, enthusiasm and happiness on ham radio are contagious,
Hollingsworth asserted, and amateur licensees themselves are responsible for
creating and maintaining a hospitable operating environment. Among the good
things going on in ham radio, Hollingsworth elicited a round of applause by
singling out Pennsylvania teacher Sean Barnes, N3JQ, whose classes have
helped 60 youngsters to obtain Amateur Radio licensees over the past three
years.
The most high-profile recent enforcement case--involving former amateur
licensee Jack Gerritsen in the Los Angeles--"is not technically an amateur
case," Hollingsworth explained. He pointed out, however, that the FCC is
looking to determine who supplied Gerritsen with Amateur Radio equipment and
"encouraged him."
His final admonishment: Good amateur practice means "not operating so that
whoever hears you becomes sorry they ever got interested in Amateur Radio in
the first place." He urged hams to look to the future and "get involved in
the good things in Amateur Radio" and spread the word among to acquaint the
public and even legislators, lawmakers and government officials.
"It's not about enforcement. It's about your obligation," he said.
Enforcement can't cure all Amateur Radio's ills. "It's all about you and
what you're doing with [Amateur Radio]," he concluded. "Look beyond
enforcement."
==>ISS ASTRONAUTS COULD BE ON THE AIR FOR FIELD DAY!
International Space Station crew members John Phillips, KE5DRY, and Sergei
Krikalev, U5MIR, may be on the air for ARRL Field Day, June 25-26. ISS Ham
Radio Project Engineer Kenneth Ransom, N5VHO, at Johnson Space Center, says
the Expedition 11 astronauts plan to participate in Field Day 2005 on a
limited basis. Previous ISS crew members have handed out contacts during
Field Day from both NA1SS and RS0ISS. Ransom this week reviewed potential
ISS pass times, and a few are favorable for US stations, although some will
occur during the very early morning hours. Phillips and Krikalev will use
the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) radio gear
aboard the spacecraft.
"Hams on the ISS will try to be on for ARRL Field Day," Ransom said. "The
crew can make contacts anytime during the 1800 UTC June 25 to 1800 UTC June
26 period as time permits. Most activity will be over North and South
America, but stations worldwide should be listening."
Ransom says the pass times are only recommendations, and there is no
guarantee that either Phillips or Krikalev will actually be on the air
during any of them. Passes marked by asterisks (*) are recommended. Times
are in UTC.
Saturday, June 25
1826-1834 Hawaii
1852-1902 Southern Chile & Argentina
Sunday, June 26
0743-0804 Canada and NW US
0847-0901 Central and eastern Australia
0919-0938 Southern Canada and NE US
1020-1035 Western Australia
*1053-1115 Alaska, SW Canada and eastern US
*1110-1130 Caribbean, NE South America
1211-1223 Eastern Japan
*1226-1248 Alaska, Western US
*1246-1306 Central South America
1346-1359 Western Japan
1428-1442 Central Argentina
1606-1617 Southern Chile and Argentina
*1715-1725 Hawaii
Phillips will operate as NA1SS and handing out "1 Alfa ISS" for a report. If
Expedition 11 Commander Krikalev gets on the air too, he'll identify as
RS0ISS and give the same exchange. In the past, crew members have operated
from both the Phase 1 and Phase 2 ARISS stations using 2 meters and 70 cm.
The standard ISS voice frequencies for contacts in ITU Region 2 are 144.49
MHz up and 145.80 MHz down, FM.
If the astronauts can't get on the air to make voice QSOs, the RS0ISS packet
station should be on and available for ground stations to work each other
via the packet digipeater using "ARISS" as the alias for the call sign in
UNPROTO mode. Frequencies are 145.99 MHz up and 145.80 MHz down.
ARRL Contest Branch Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, notes that ISS voice or
direct packet contacts with the ISS do not count for bonus satellite contact
points because the ISS is not an "Amateur Radio satellite" as event rules
specify. Packet contacts relayed via the ISS are valid.
"The ISS contacts do not count for satellite credit, since they are
point-to-point, whereas the traditional satellite QSO is a relayed
Earth-satellite-Earth two-way contact," he explained. Field Day has no
specific rules relating to ARISS operation because there's no guarantee that
the crew will be able to get on the air for the annual exercise.
==>FCC ISSUES $21,000 NOTICE OF APPARENT LIABILITY TO MAINE AMATEUR
The FCC has issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (NAL)
proposing to fine Glenn A. Baxter, K1MAN, of Belgrade Lakes, Maine, $21,000.
In the NAL, released June 7, the FCC alleges that Baxter has violated
several sections of the Part 97 Amateur Service rules. The list includes
interfering with ongoing communications, transmitting communications in
which he has a pecuniary interest, failing to provide information the FCC
has requested, engaging in broadcasting, and failing to exercise control of
his station. In the NAL, the FCC's Enforcement Bureau recounts past
correspondence to and from Baxter--a registered professional engineer and
executive director of the American Amateur Radio Association (AARA).
"In response to numerous complaints of deliberate interference caused by
transmissions from Mr Baxter's Amateur station K1MAN to ongoing radio
communications of other stations, including stations participating in the
Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Net, the Bureau issued a Warning Notice
to Mr Baxter on September 15, 2004," the NAL states.
The Warning Notice requested that Baxter explain his method of station
control and what action, if any, was being taken in response to the
interference complaints. The FCC said its Warning Notice also recalled a
written warning dated April 14, 2004, advising Baxter that enforcement
action would be taken if he failed to correct the deliberate interference
attributed to his station and if he continued to use his station for
pecuniary interest by advertising his Web site.
Baxter responded on October 14, 2004, stating "no corrective actions are
necessary at K1MAN" and that his method of station control "is in full
compliance with all FCC rules" and that K1MAN "is in full compliance with
all FCC rules, state laws, and federal laws."
Calling Baxter's response "insufficient," the FCC issued a second Warning
Notice last October 29, spelling out his "obligations as a licensee to
furnish the information requested by the Bureau." The Warning Notice also
reported the receipt of two more complaints alleging deliberate
interference. The FCC gave Baxter 20 more days to provide information
regarding the identity of the control operator and his method of station
control on the dates and times specified in the recent interference
complaints.
The FCC says Baxter responded last November 2 to indicate that his previous
response had "provided all the information required by FCC rules and by
federal law." He did not offer any information regarding the identity of the
control operator or the method of station control, the FCC added.
The NAL also cites monitoring of K1MAN by FCC personnel and asserts that
last November 27, "K1MAN began transmitting on top of ongoing communications
at 5:54 PM EST on 3.890 MHz, disrupting the communications by other
licensees," the FCC reported. It alleged similar occurrences on December 8
and March 31.
FCC personnel from Boston inspected K1MAN last November 30. During that
visit, the FCC said, Baxter demonstrated that he could control his station's
transmitter using a telephone interface.
Last December 1, the FCC said, K1MAN transmitted "a pre-recorded program
lasting nearly seventy minutes, which consisted of an interview by Mr Baxter
with Mr Jeff Owens." The Commission contends that the transmission
"consisted of a lengthy broadcast of the telephone interview with Mr Owens"
during which, it says, Baxter explained how Owens could invest in franchises
of Baxter Associates--a management consulting, executive search and
executive career management enterprise--and how Baxter planned to market
franchises of Baxter Associates.
"Nothing in the program related to Amateur Radio, and no station call sign
was given until the conclusion of the seventy-minute program," the FCC
stated. The Commission said the transmission constituted a broadcast and an
impermissible one-way transmission.
On December 19, 2004, the Commission asserts, K1MAN "broadcast transmissions
of an apparently defective pre-recorded audio tape, which resulted in the
repeated transmission of a nine-word phrase, and segments thereof, without
any intervention of a control operator and without the identification of the
station's call sign." The transmission lasted some 46 minutes, the
Commission reported, noting that Baxter's station shut down abruptly in
mid-sentence. The FCC said this incident indicated that the control operator
did not have sufficient control over his station.
The Commission says on March 30, 2005, on at least four occasions on 3.890
MHz its monitoring personnel observed K1MAN advertising the AARA Web site,
which "offers various products for sale." It concluded that those mentions
and the transmission of the Baxter Associates interview violated FCC Amateur
Service rules "by transmitting communications regarding matters in which he
has a pecuniary interest."
The FCC further concluded that Baxter failed to supply information it had
requested in its warning notices of last September 15 and October 29. The
Commission gave Baxter 30 days to pay the fine or file a written statement
seeking a reduction or cancellation of the proposed fine.
==>HURRICANE WATCH NET, WX4NHC ACTIVATE IN ADVANCE OF TROPICAL STORM ARLENE
The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) and WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center in
Miami announced activations Saturday, June 11, around midday UTC, a few
hours before Tropical Storm Arlene made landfall along the western Florida
Panhandle and southern Alabama. The storm, which produced considerable
rainfall, never did reach hurricane status, although it had been expected
to.
After making landfall, the storm quickly dissipated into a tropical
depression. Arlene caused scattered power outages affecting several thousand
customers in the Florida Panhandle.
The HWN activated on 14.325 MHz to gather ground-level weather data to relay
via WX4NHC to hurricane forecasters. HWN Manager Mike Pilgrim, K5MP, reports
the HWN secured operations at 1830 UTC on June 11.
The first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, Arlene had been
sporting maximum sustained winds near hurricane force--70 MPH--with higher
gusts before coming ashore. WX4NHC monitored the HWN as well as EchoLink and
IRLP 9219 via the WX_Talk Conference Room. Remnants of Arlene continued to
drop heavy rains well into the US Midwest early this week.
==>FALL LAUNCH VIEWED FOR "SUITSAT" AS ARISS-US DELIVERS HARDWARE
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) US Team has
delivered its hardware contribution to the "SuitSat" project to NASA's
Johnson Space Center (JSC), where the ARISS-US Team had performed safety
tests. If all goes according to plan, the ISS crew will deploy SuitSat--a
surplus Russian Orlan spacesuit equipped with Amateur Radio gear, a DVD of
school artwork and other experiments--this fall during a spacewalk. ARISS
International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, said this week that NASA is in the
process of shipping the ARISS-US hardware to Russia, where it will undergo
final tests and certification and integration with ARISS-Russia's SuitSat
gear. SuitSat will fly to the ISS aboard a Progress supply rocket in August
or September.
"On behalf of the ARISS International team, I want to congratulate the
SuitSat hardware development team for their 'can do' spirit and ability to
deliver the SuitSat hardware on such a very challenging schedule," Bauer
said. He pointed out that NASA only gave the okay on May 10 for the ARISS-US
team to go forward with the SuitSat project.
"In the four short weeks since that letter was signed," Bauer said, "the US
project team, has designed, built and tested a simple--yet fully
featured--system that we hope will inspire hams and students around the
world."
Bauer says SuitSat will beam down special messages and an SSTV image from
within the Orlan spacesuit as it floats in space. "The SuitSat radio system
will allow hams and students to track the suit and decode special
international messages, spacesuit telemetry and a pre-programmed Slow Scan
TV image through its specially built digital voice messaging system and
Amateur Radio transmitter," he said this week. The ARISS-US Team expressed
its appreciation to Kenwood for its donation of--and assistance with--the
radios that are embedded in the SuitSat system.
The brainchild of the ARISS-Russia team headed by Sergei Samburov,
RV3DR--SuitSat will have transmit-only capability operating from the suit's
battery power. The concept came in for extensive discussion during the joint
AMSAT Symposium/ARISS International Partner meeting last October. "Since
October the SuitSat design concept matured and evolved due to the
challenging development time constraints," Bauer said.
On the ARISS-Russia side, SuitSat is being led by Project Manager A. P.
Alexandrov and Deputy Project Manager A. Poleshuk. Satellite veteran Lou
McFadin, W5DID, is heading up the hardware development for the ARISS-US
Team.
The SuitSat project has generated interest from several schools, which have
contributed audio greetings in English, French, Spanish, German, Japanese
and Russian for transmission from SuitSat. Students at a NASA Explorer
School, Eastern Middle School in Silver Spring, Maryland, supplied the voice
message for the US English contribution, Bauer said.
The ARISS-Russia team is building a launch container and has assembled
systems consisting a transmitter, digi-talker assembly, control box, dummy
load, antenna cable and control cable. SuitSat's call sign, RS0RS, and voice
greetings--along with educational materials solicited from schools--have
been burned into memory. Among other things, SuitSat will carry voice
greetings to commemorate the 175th anniversary of Russia's Bauman Moscow
State Technical University.
The SuitSat project already is attracting attention within the non-Amateur
Radio world. ARRL Field and Educational Services Manager Rosalie White,
K1STO--who's ARISS-International Secretary-Treasurer--already has fielded
questions from a reporter for NewScientist.com, and news stories have
surfaced on Space.com and on Greensboro, North Carolina, TV station WFMY.
Once deployed, SuitSat is expected to orbit the planet for several weeks
before burning up when it enters Earth's atmosphere. A second Orlan space
suit is expected to become available for possible deployment as a temporary
satellite in 2007.
==>SOLAR UPDATE
Propagation guru Tad "That Lucky Ol' Sun" Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington,
reports: If you look at the average of daily sunspot or solar flux numbers
for the past week, you'll see hardly a change from the previous period. This
does not mean there was no activity or zero sunspots, but the average daily
solar flux is exactly the same the past week as the one previous, and the
average daily sunspot number was down by less than one point. Sunspot counts
rose in the earlier period, peaked at the end of that reporting week
(Thursday through Wednesday) and declined over the next seven days. Last
Friday, June 10, sunspots 775 and 776 were transiting the center of the
visible solar disk, which meant they were in the best position for affecting
Earth.
A coronal mass ejection (CME) on June 9 caused a geomagnetic storm on June
12, when the arrival of the ejection and solar wind was met with a
south-pointing interplanetary magnetic field. When the field points north,
it helps protect the Earth from the effects of solar wind. But when it
points south, Earth is vulnerable. On June 13 the field again pointed north.
Currently we are experiencing effects from a CME that swept over Earth
around 0900 UTC on June 16. This was a weak disturbance, but it was followed
by a moderate solar wind. Expected planetary A index, a measure of
geomagnetic stability worldwide, is expected around 25, 15, 10 and 8 for
June 17-20. Solar flux is expected to remain below 100 until the end of this
month.
Sunspot numbers for June 9 through 15 were 99, 103, 85, 85, 73, 44 and 64
with a mean of 79. 10.7 cm flux was 116.1, 114.3, 108, 103, 91.8, 93.8 and
94.5, with a mean of 103.1. Estimated planetary A indices were 5, 5, 6, 35,
33, 10 and 21 with a mean of 16.4. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 3,
2, 6, 23, 17, 8 and 14, with a mean of 10.4.
__________________________________
==>IN BRIEF:
* This weekend on the radio: ARRL Kid's Day, The All Asian DX Contest (CW),
the SMIRK Contest, the AGCW VHF/UHF Contest, the West Virginia and Quebec
QSO parties are the weekend of June 18-19. JUST AHEAD: The RSGB 80-Meter
Club Championship (SSB) is June 23. The NCCC Thursday Sprint is June 24.
ARRL Field Day, the ARCI Milliwatt Field Day, the Marconi Memorial HF
Contest and His Majesty the King of Spain Contest (SSB) are the weekend of
June 25-26. See the ARRL Contest Branch page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/>
and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar
<http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info.
* ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
Registration for the ARRL Antenna Modeling (EC-004) and Radio Propagation
(EC-011) on-line courses remains open through Sunday, June 19. Classes begin
Friday July 1. For the Antenna Modeling course, computer-modeling expert and
noted author L.B. Cebik, W4RNL, has combined the expertise of his long
career as a college professor with his love and antennas and antenna
modeling to offer a comprehensive, yet practical, course of study.
Propagation students will study the science of RF propagation, including the
properties of electromagnetic waves, the atmosphere and the ionosphere, the
sun and sunspots, ground waves and sky waves and various propagation modes
such as aurora and meteor scatter. To learn more, visit the ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education <http://www.arrl.org/cce/> Web page
or contact the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education Program
Department cce@arrl.org.
* Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course registration: Registration
for the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level III on-line course
(EC-003) opens Monday, June 20, at 1201 AM EDT and will remain open until
all available seats have been filled or through the June 25-26
weekend--whichever comes first. Class begins Friday, July 8. NOTE: This will
not be a complete eight-week class. ***ACT NOW! THIS IS THE FINAL MONTH TO
OBTAIN FEDERAL GRANT REIMBURSEMENT!*** Thanks to the Corporation for
National and Community Service, the $45 registration fee paid upon
enrollment will be reimbursed to students who complete the course
requirements and are upgraded by their mentor to "Passed" on or before
August 31. Radio amateurs 55 and up are strongly encouraged to participate.
During this registration period, seats are being offered to ARRL members on
a first-come, first-served basis. To learn more, visit the ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education Web page. For more information,
contact Emergency Communications Course Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG,
cce@arrl.org; 860-594-0340.
* Field Day 2005 gear still available: Field Day 2005 is just days away--the
weekend of June 25-26. But, it's not too late to order your official ARRL
Field Day 2005 T-shirts, participation pins and GOTA pins. The ever-popular
Field Day Ts are available in sizes small through XXX for $12.95 each, plus
shipping and handling. Field Day pins have become a treasured collectable
for many in the amateur community. The 2005 edition is just $5, plus
shipping and handling, while supplies last. The GOTA pins are an excellent
gift for those participating in their first Field Day. They also are $5 each
plus shipping and handling. Orders received by Sunday, June 19, are
guaranteed delivery in time for Field Day the following weekend. You can
your order for Field Day items via the ARRL Online Catalog
<http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?item=no-9548> or call toll-free, 888-277-5289.
* President names Scott Redd, K0DQ, to head counter-terrorism center:
President George W. Bush has again called on retired Vice Adm John "Scott"
Redd, K0DQ, to take on an important assignment. Bush announced June 10 that
he was tapping Redd, a well-known DXer and contester, to direct the new
National Counter-Terrorism Center. A former commander of US naval forces in
the Middle East and a 36-year Navy veteran, Redd, 60, was executive director
of the Silberman-Robb presidential commission on US intelligence failures in
Iraq. Redd previously served as deputy administrator and chief operating
officer of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad, for which he
received the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service.
Pending Senate confirmation, Redd will report to National Intelligence
Director John Negroponte. He'd replace interim director John Brennan. The
National Counter-Terrorism Center is to be the central organization for
analyzing and integrating all foreign and domestic intelligence on terrorism
and will carry out "strategic operational planning" for domestic and foreign
counterterrorism operations.
* K6KPH to transmit W1AW FD bulletin for West Coast: For Field Day 2005
participants on the West Coast, the Maritime Radio Historical Society's
K6KPH will again retransmit the W1AW Field Day bulletin this year on Field
Day weekend, June 24-25. K6KPH CW frequencies will be 3.5815, 7.0475,
14.0475, 18.0975 and 21.0675 MHz. In addition to sending the bulletin on CW,
K6KPH will make digital transmissions both days on RTTY and AMTOR on 40
meters only (7.095 MHz). A Field Day bulletin transmission schedule, which
will be updated as necessary, plus full information on Field Day 2005 are
posted on the ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/contests/forms/> (scroll
down to "Field Day").
* ARRL warns against spurious, virus-infected e-mails: Some ARRL members
have recently reported receiving e-mail messages that purport to be from
ARRL. These messages suggest that the recipient's account has been used to
send "a large amount of unsolicited commercial e-mail," that their password
has been changed or some other action was going to be taken regarding their
arrl.net "account." The e-mail may be signed by "The ARRL Support team" or
"The arrl.net team." Some messages also may show up as e-mail bounces from
"Postmaster" or "Mail Administrator." These messages, which include a file
attachment, are bogus. They do not originate from ARRL, and recipients of
such messages should never attempt to open the attached file. Outside of
routine correspondence, the ARRL only sends e-mail to members who
specifically request mailings, such as W1AW bulletins and The ARRL Letter.
Opening the attached file on one of these spurious messages could unleash a
nasty computer virus. As a defense against these kinds of viruses, ARRL
strongly recommends installing virus-protection software on all personal
computers and updating virus definitions on a regular basis.
===========================================================
The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American
Radio Relay League--The National Association For Amateur Radio--225 Main St,
Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259;
<http://www.arrl.org/>. Jim Haynie, W5JBP, President.
The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential news of interest
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Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or
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==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl@arrl.org
==>ARRL News on the Web: <http://www.arrl.org/>
==>ARRL Audio News: <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> or call
860-594-0384
==>How to Get The ARRL Letter
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The ARRL Letter

The ARRL Letter offers a weekly summary of essential news of interest to active amateurs that is available in advance of publication in QST, our official journal. The ARRL Letter strives to be timely, accurate, concise and readable.

Much of the ARRL Letter content is also available in audio form in ARRL Audio News.

Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be given to The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League.

Back issues published since 2000 are available on this page. If you wish to subscribe via e-mail, simply log on to the ARRL Web site, click on Edit Your Profile at the top, then click on Edit Email Subscriptions. Check the box next to The ARRL email newsletter, the ARRL Letter and you will receive each weekly issue in HTML format. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Plain-Text

The ARRL E-Letter e-mail is also available in plain-text version:

Outlook Express

1. From the Inbox view, select the Tools menu and the Options selection.

2. Click the Read tab

3. Check the Read All Messages In Plain Text box. When you open the e-mail, it will be in plain text without images. Other e-mail programs may be able to make a Mail Rule for e-mail received from the address memberlist@www.arrl.org so that the plain-text-only display is selected automatically.

Outlook 2007

Use the same procedure as for Outlook Express, although the global option is under "Tools/Trust Center/E-mail Security".

Use the "Message text garbled?" link in the drop-down menu at the upper right of the displayed message block. pine, alpine Set "prefer-plain-text" in your ~/.pinerc configuration file: feature-list=..., prefer-plain-text, ...